Communications associated with the present invention are provided through the use of a “computing device”, which will be understood to include not only an actual computer, such as a personal computer, but also any kind of intelligent device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a smart telephone, capable of Internet browsing. For voice communications, the device will need to be capable of sensing sound, as through a microphone, and producing sound, as through a speaker or earphone. Communication takes place through a network, such as the Internet and, possibly, through the public service telephone network (PSTN).
In our co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/603,683, filed Oct. 22, 2009, we disclose a method and system for facilitating telephone calls that convey the context of the call to the called party. The disclosure of that patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention disclosed in that patent application, a software button is utilized on a computing device to initiate a call. Activation of the button causes a “soft phone” to be downloaded from a server. The soft phone is essentially an executable software agent that operates on the computing device to set up a call to only a specified telephone number. The software agent causes certain call context information to be embedded which is unique to the actuated software button.
We have now found that the use of a software button and downloaded software agent offer additional benefits is in providing privacy, security and dynamic control of service.
For example, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an online directory, similar to a telephone directory but comprised of software buttons, is provided, in which a calling party can select a called party by clicking a software button dedicated to the called party. The button provides an identification of the called party, but some or all contact information may be hidden and inaccessible to the calling party. A server containing the directory will then cause download of a software agent to the calling party's computing device, which causes the calling party's computing device to establish communication with the called party. However, the called party can maintain privacy, or even complete anonymity.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, software buttons are utilized to provide a communication service which is dynamic. That is, the nature or type of service changes based on conditions predefined by the called party and information provided by the calling party. For example, a called party may specify that, during business hours, communication be by telephone to a specific telephone number and outside of business hours, communication be by text message if urgent and e-mail if not urgent. When the calling party clicks a software button, the software agent downloaded to his computing device would then be a soft phone during business hours. Outside of business hours, a software agent would be downloaded to the calling party which would inquire whether the call is urgent and, depending upon the response, would provide a text message agent or an e-mail agent, respectively.